Archive for May 7th, 2008
Abduction, shooting suspect appears in court
ELYRIA — The man accused of kidnapping and shooting a 43-year-old woman in a horrific ordeal Tuesday made his first court appearance today. Matthew Plas, 25, appeared in Elyria Municipal Court via video for his arraignment on attempted murder and kidnapping charges. He told the judge that he lived at home with his wife and [...]
Obama wins NC, says near nomination; Clinton wins Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS — Barack Obama swept to a convincing victory in the North Carolina primary Tuesday night and declared he was closing in on the Democratic presidential nomination. Hillary Rodham Clinton eked out a win in Indiana as she struggled to halt her rival’s march into history. "Tonight we stand less than 200 delegates away from [...]
Cavaliers: LeBron James has terrible night in Game 1 loss
BOSTON — In a totally new way, LeBron James was more unbelievable than he’s been at any point in his five-year NBA career. So was this game, but not in the way the Cavaliers wanted it to be. With their superstar doing a lot of everything, much of it bad, the Cavaliers lost Game 1 [...]
LeBron James finishes 4th in MVP voting; Kobe Bryant wins 1st
BOSTON — Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant collected 82 first-place votes in winning the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award Tuesday, but he would have gotten 83 if Cavaliers small forward LeBron James had cast a ballot. “I’ve always said since two or three years ago that Kobe Bryant is the best player in the [...]
Cavaliers notes: Celtics pose tough matchups for defense
BOSTON — The Cavaliers like to get LeBron James a little rest at the defensive end early in games by matching him up against a player who’s not real active offensively, but that won’t be easy in Cleveland’s second-round series against the Boston Celtics. “No matter who you put LeBron on, he’s not going to [...]
H.S. Softball: Elyria outlasts tough Columbia team in eight innings
ELYRIA — It was the kind of softball game that makes winter seem worth the trouble, a classic played before a large and vocal crowd on a nearly perfect spring afternoon. In a memorable pitchers duel, unheralded Columbia took Elyria’s top-ranked Pioneers into extra innings Tuesday at the old West High softball complex. Then with [...]
Dellucci homers off Chamberlain to lift Indians past Yankees
NEW YORK — Turns out Joba Chamberlain is not untouchable. Pinch hitter David Dellucci stunned the New York Yankees with a go-ahead homer off Chamberlain, and the Cleveland Indians rallied for a 5-3 victory Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series. “I was just kind of out of whack out there,” Chamberlain said. [...]
One stranger terrorizes her – but others save her
NEW RUSSIA TWP. — A 43-year-old Carlisle Township woman with a gunshot wound clung to the inside of an open car trunk Tuesday as her abductor barreled down a country road at speeds estimated at 100 mph. The woman, whose name has not yet been released, continued to fight for her life after she was [...]
Indians notes: Victor Martinez sits with stiff neck
NEW YORK — Victor Martinez was pulled from the Cleveland Indians’ lineup Tuesday night because of a stiff neck. The decision was made during batting practice before the opener of a three-game series against the New York Yankees. Martinez, an All-Star catcher, was replaced by backup Kelly Shoppach, who batted eighth. Jhonny Peralta moved up [...]
Teachers offered buyouts
ELYRIA — Veteran teachers have a chance at a $30,000 buyout if they’ll retire early. The Elyria Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday night to wave a golden carrot in front of the district’s highest-paid teachers in hopes of saving some green. The deal will pay $6,000 per year through 2013 to retirees with 30 [...]
Local trainers say no cruelty in Derby tragedy
Despite the traumatic deaths of two Triple Crown horses in the past three years, including that of filly Eight Belles following her impressive second-place finish in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, a track veteran and a noted equine veterinarian said they don’t think the jockey or the horse’s trainer or owners are to blame. “I’ve been there [...]
H.S. Softball: Brittany Stone pitches Midview past North Ridgeville
EATON TWP. — Brittany Stone was a rock for Midview High’s softball team Tuesday afternoon. The junior right-hander pitched and batted the Middies to a 1-0 West Shore Conference win over North Ridgeville. In the pitcher’s circle, she mowed the Rangers down inning after inning, giving up just a first-inning single while striking out nine [...]
Fitness center bulks up
ELYRIA — The operators of Downtown Fitness Center have purchased a Powerhouse Fitness franchise and will be expanding the center’s health and fitness programs. John Dixon II said it made sense for him and his business partner, Dennis Wilhelm, to link up with one of the largest gym franchises for their club at 419 Broad [...]
H.S. Tennis Notes: Players to help with clinics to promote sport
The area’s varsity tennis players plan on building their programs this summer and it has nothing to do with improving their skills on the court. The high school players and their coaches will get together for a tennis-coaching workshop on May 18 at Oberlin College, then will hold free youth clinics in their respective communities [...]
Hotel chain may give Avon the slip
AVON — Just north of Interstate 90 — on the corner of Moore and Chester roads — sits a vacant piece of land. A house was razed on the 2.1-acre site, trees were cleared and underground drainage issues were addressed — all to make way for a Value Place hotel. Today, a bulldozer rests in [...]
One day, 12 hours, countless birds
NORTH RIDGEVILE — Can you identify the warble of an oriole at 100 paces or identify the banded feathers of a black-throated gray warbler? Then grab those binoculars and head out Saturday to the Sandy Ridge Reservation Metro Park in North Ridgeville, where a marathon bird-spotting program will run 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tim [...]
Homes offer glimpse of Wellington’s past
WELLINGTON — Thousands of people are expected to descend on Wellington this year thanks to a bike tour, a hot air balloon festival, the annual cheese festival and the 150th anniversary of the Oberlin-Wellington Slave Rescue. When they get here, they’ll be able to see a breathtaking selection of 19th and early 20th-century architecture via [...]
Man dies in horrific cycle crash
SHEFFIELD — A motorcyclist was crushed to death Tuesday afternoon when a car drifted into oncoming traffic on state Route 611, Sheffield police said. James Fisher, 63, of Lorain, was killed almost instantly, Lorain County Coroner Paul Matus said. Even though he was wearing a helmet, Fisher’s neck was broken on impact, several ribs were [...]
Blotter: May 7, 2008
Elyria police Monday, May 5 8:47 a.m. – Police station, West Ave., James Keener, 34, Dunedin, Fla., contempt of court warrant. 9 a.m. – Education Alternatives, Lake Avenue, graffiti found on garbage bin. 10:57 a.m. – Fifth Third Bank, Broad Street, a man withdrew $4,200 using a counterfeit check. 1:32 p.m. – 1800 block Lorain [...]
Elyria teacher finds pills at bottom of his drink
ELYRIA — A teacher at Franklin School was enjoying a soda Monday morning until he got to the bottom of his cup and found three white pills, an Elyria police report said. Chris Cseh, 41, of Bay Village, told police he picked up soda for several teachers about 7:30 a.m. at McDonald’s on Broad Street. [...]
Woman allegedly threatens to emasculate boyfriend
ELYRIA — A woman was arrested early Tuesday after allegedly threatening to cut off her boyfriend’s penis with a knife, according to an Elyria police report. Amber E. Nettles, 18, of Elyria, was charged with menacing. Emanuel D. Ingram, 21, of Elyria, was charged with drug abuse, illegal conveyance and assault. Police were called about [...]
North Ridgeville crafters to hold yard sale Thursday
NORTH RIDGEVILLE — The North Ridgeville Office for Older Adults Crafters is holding a yard sale of its craft items 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday at the Senior Center, 7327 Avon Belden Road, North Ridgeville. The Senior Center’s crafters have been working hard every Monday and need to make room for all their new [...]
Brazil acquits rancher in killing of Ohio nun
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — An Amazon rancher earlier convicted of ordering the killing of an Ohio nun has been acquitted in a retrial, a court official said Tuesday. A jury voted 5-2 to acquit Vitalmiro Moura, one of two ranchers who allegedly ordered the killing of the 73-year-old Dorothy Stang three years ago, court [...]
Burge’s death penalty hearings wrap up
ELYRIA — Earlier this year, ACLU attorney Jeff Gamso said he hadn’t gone looking for “nice ways to kill people,” but he may have found one that’s humane enough to consider. Gamso, the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio’s legal director, conceded Tuesday that evidence gathered during hearings a county judge is holding to review [...]
Patricia Ann Sell
Patricia Ann Sell, 43, passed away Sunday, May 4, 2008, of a sudden illness, at her home in Grafton. She was born November 25, 1964, in Lorain. She was ordained through Living Water Christian Fellowship Church in Lorain. Patricia was very involved and supportive of her church. She coordinated the LMHA annual Easter Egg Extravaganza [...]